Medina, Ismael

Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1

An educational journey: The Puerto Rican experience from student to teacher in U.S. schools
(2018-01-29) Medina, Ismael; Soto Santiago, Sandra L.; College of Arts and Sciences - Art; Rivera, Rosita; Pratt, Ellen; Department of English; Carrero Figueroa, Rebecca
This thesis presents the life stories of six Puerto Rican teachers, focusing on their educational experiences as they grew from students to teachers in U.S. schools. Using the Funds of Knowledge theoretical framework, this study documents how these teachers negotiated their cultural backgrounds as Puerto Ricans with their experiences growing up in the U.S. and are now helping an increasingly diverse student population to overcome their own challenges in the classroom. Reflecting the experiences of many of their students, these teachers understand the challenges of migration, grew empowered as they cultivated their identities, and developed diverse language repertoires. This study demonstrates how these teachers are using their experiences as sources of knowledge to guide their students from all backgrounds and, ultimately, proves the value of teachers that match the growing diversity of their students.